Akira Kurosawa and his films

I watched three movies by Akira Kurosawa to analyze how prevalent his influence is through three separate films. The three movies were Throne of Blood, Seven Samurai and Ran. What's interesting about these movies is that two of them are based on Shakespeare plays, so another creative mind is already contributing to these works indirectly. However, it is known that Kurosawa writes his own films by himself, which makes sense because all three movies definitely seemed to be made by the same person. The cinematography was fairly similar across the board. All three films made generous use of dramatic pauses during which little to no action is taking place and the camera holds on one figure. Cuts are generally made only when necessary and a single shot is occasionally stretched to the maximum length it can be without getting uncomfortable. Also (and this may just be a trait found in Japanese films) the actors sometimes overact their roles. The moments are really dramatized and characters will often express their anger or frustration very frankly with body language or facial expressions. There is little subtlety to be had in these films.

Kurosawa's establishing shots are also very similar across these three movies. He shows the land in its natural peaceful state before he introduces the conflict that leaves the land foggy and covered in bodies. In fact, his pivotal battles are often punctuated by some sort of weather effect or an ominous fog to set the tone for the scene. Everything about his shots is extremely well measured and very deliberate.

Likewise, the lighting in Kurosawa's environments, especially his interior spaces, is hardly ever realistic. There is always light where there needs to be light and there is always shadow where something or someone must be covered. He uses light and contrast to bring attention to important characters or actions and when that light would not naturally be present, he puts it there anyway, because in the end, he is making a film that must read the way he wants it to. Sometimes he tries to explain that light with something like a gap in the wall. Other times, there is no reason for it at all. It simply needs to be there for the shot.

One last thing that I think is worth mentioning is the way he is able to communicate ideas and thoughts without a word of dialogue. The quality of these films is not very good, so the actors often had to compensate by very clearly showing their emotions on their faces. But at times, a character will say nothing at all while speaking entirely with their body language. They can express fear, dismay and even madness in this manner. It is really quite impressive what Kurosawa can do with visuals alone. 

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Notes

This is meant to be a movie that turns preconceptions upside down—just like McMurphy realizes that this isn’t what he signed up for, the viewers should go through a similar transformation. I want them to really hate McMurphy when he shows up and then I want them to become as attached to him as the patients are. At every corner of the hospital, I want there to be reminders that the staff control every single aspect of the patients’ lives and every attempt to give the patients the illusion of choice is as transparent to McMurphy as it is to the audience.

                McMurphy is as rebellious as they come and I think it is imperative that this shows clearly—even as he is trying to be cooperative in the beginning. His sly remarks must read as subtle jabs and his banters should be right on the edge of genuine. He knows he’s in a mental hospital, but he still has belief in his fellow man. He should be the only healthy person to speak to the patients as one sane man speaks to another. While the nurses may occasionally soften their voices or speak slowly and clearly, Mcmurphy assumes that they are as present in their minds as he is. Ratched is the only exception to this rule. Still, this is the mistake he and Ratched make—because they are mental patients, they are mentally unstable. They make radical decisions without considering their effects on an unhealthy mind. McMurphy gets them to break the rules and start rebelling while Ratched berates them and humiliates them, further degrading their mental states. This all comes to a head when Billy kills himself when he hears the threats Ratched makes. Just when the viewer starts to believe that these patients are getting better—just as Billy speaks without a stutter for the first time, Ratched says something that would barely faze a sane man, but Billy, as we come to understand, is not a sane man. None of them are and everyone is brought back to square one.

                Likewise, the patients are all there for a reason, and as such, most of the conversations between them and the outside world should be at least somewhat awkward and a little uncomfortable. They are not used to having such a smooth speaker and alpha male as McMurphy in their ranks and by the end it should be an honor for them to be in his company. This man is what little of the outside world that they get to see regularly and soon he becomes a symbol of the man they must be like to function on the outside—especially for Billy, who refuses to leave because he is no prepared.

                This also becomes a new experience for McMurphy, who was an alpha male on the outside, but never had much of a following. Here, McMurphy has a chance to be in an environment where he really is mentally superior to everyone he encounters and, as such, is able to get people to do things through his charisma. This McMurphy is the complete opposite of the McMurphy after the lobotomy. Throughout most of the film, he is trying to escape and in the end he does with the help of the Chief. The most important idea about this movie is that nothing is ever as simple as it seems and even in a controlled environment like a hospital, terrible, unexpected things can happen when something new is introduced.